Why would anyone who did something bad enough to be on death row want to do something good for people?
According to Christian Longo, who murdered his wife and three children, lots of convicts like himself would like to donate their internal organs to those in need. Hmmph.
I guess if I were in a situation where I needed an organ, or someone I knew needed an organ, it would be good to have the option to take one from a generous inmate. I would say that as long as the sick patient knows where their donation is coming from, and is okay with it, then it should be allowed.
Longo's prison, and others, currently do not allow organ donation by those with the death penalty. Read Longo's article to see whether you support a change on this policy. He brings up some good points. It's true that it is a waste of otherwise healthy organs. He argues that if his state were to use a safer chemical in his lethal injection that his organs would remain healthy.
Also, knowing that a donor is available, and knowing the exact date and time that the organ would become available is quite interesting to think about. I just watched Never Let Me Go the other day, which is a pretty depressing movie, but it is about a made up society where we clone people to be organ donors. Essentially the characters in the movie were prisoners themselves, with a death sentence scheduled for their mid to late twenties.
I think it should be allowed. I don't really think it matters where the organ comes from as long as it saves lives. I don't think it should be a question of , do you want to die or do you want to take an organ from an inmate? do you want your child to live longer or do you want to let them die because you dont want to take an organ from a criminal? Yea people on death row are bad people, but something happens to people when they know they are going to die, they come to terms with who they are and why they did what they did, and just want to at least do something good, not necessarily to make up for what they did, but just to try to do something good.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the patient even needs to know the organ came from a death row inmate. Unless you're receiving an organ from a relative or friend organ donations are mostly confidential. I don't see why this should be any different. Personally, I don't think I would be upset if, for instance, I received a kidney transplant from a mass serial killer because his sociopathy has nothing to do with the condition of his kidney. Trust me, I doubt anyone on a transplant waiting list would pass down a healthy, matching organ they needed.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that this scenario is like the harvesting organs in "Never Let Me Go." For one thing, these donors were not brought into the world and raised specifically to be organ donors. They made their own choices which led them to death row. The most crucial difference is that they are not being killed for their organs, but for their crimes. Ultimately it is still their choice if they want their organs donated at all.
One of the main reasons inmates aren't able to donate right now is because of the possibility for corruption within the prison. In the past, inmates have "volunteered" for medical experiments which now people question whether it was truly voluntary and if they knew what the real risks were.
ReplyDeleteIf inmates are "volunteered" to be organ donors it will be similar to the movie. Of course, it's just a reference to what could happen.